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24 Jan 2006 : Column 2066W—continued

Identity Fraud

Mike Penning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what training his Department has provided for (a) front desk and (b) administrative staff in relation to identity fraud. [41278]

Jim Fitzpatrick: No specific identity fraud training is provided to staff in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). No 'front desk' facilities are provided by the ODPM to meet members of the public. Administrative staff are advised to request that members of the public put any requests for information, financial or otherwise, in writing.
 
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Influenza Pandemic

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what advice he has given to local authorities about steps to be taken in the event of an influenza pandemic. [43870]

Mr. Jim Murphy: I have been asked to reply

The Government have provided advice on pandemic influenza planning to local authorities and other category one responders under the Civil Contingencies Act in a variety of forms and through a range of mechanisms. This includes the general advice contained in the UK pandemic contingency plan as well as tailored advice for local authorities via the Local Government Association and the Regional Resilience Teams based in the Government offices in the English regions.

Local Government Finance

Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much Government grant was given to Oxfordshire county council by his Department in the financial year (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06. [44542]

Mr. Woolas: The following table sets out the amount of grant payments made to Oxfordshire county council by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister since 2004–05.
Funding

	Grant payment (£ million)
2004–05	356.318
2005–06	376.470
Total	732.788

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) proposed total and (b) percentage net change in formula grant is between 2005–06 and 2006–07, taking into account the 2004–05 and 2005–06 amending reports for the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and how many local authorities in (i) Greater London, (ii) metropolitan authorities, (iii) all purpose authorities and (iv) shire counties had a (A) larger and (B) smaller percentage increase on a similar basis than the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. [44595]

Mr. Woolas: The proposed net change in formula grant on a like-for-like basis, taking into account the 2004–05 and 2005–06 amending reports for the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne between 2005–06 and 2006–07 is £5.424 million or 3.7 per cent.

The following table shows the number of authorities that had a (a) larger and (b) smaller percentage increase than Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Number

Class of authority	(a) Authorities with an increase larger than Newcastle-upon-Tyne	(b) Authorities with an increase smaller than Newcastle-upon-Tyne
London boroughs including the city of London	1	32
Metropolitan districts	1	34
Unitary authorities including the Isle of Scilly	8	39
Shire counties	2	32

 
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Regional Reorganisation

Anne Main: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department has given to (a) other Government departments and (b) executive agencies within other Government Departments on reorganising their administrative functions on a regional basis. [41118]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) does not provide specific guidance to other Government Departments, or their executive agencies, on reorganising their administrative functions regionally. The ODPM works closely with other Departments on a range of issues to develop the most effective policies, structures and institutions.

For example, the Government Offices in the Regions now incorporate the work often Departments into a single, regional organisation to ensure that policies and programmes are co-ordinated efficiently and effectively to achieve maximum effect.

Social Housing

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent meetings he has held with (a) local authorities and (b) other interested groups concerning the development and maintenance of council housing; and if he will make a statement. [44466]

Jim Fitzpatrick: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has regular meetings with local authorities and outside interest groups concerning housing policy at which a number of issues are discussed.

Standards Board/Adjudication Panel

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total expenditure of the (a) Standards Board for England and (b) Adjudication Panel was in each year since it was established; and what the budget is for (i) 2005–06 and (ii) 2006–07. [42612]

Mr. Woolas: Information on the amount of grant provided each year to the Standards Board for England and expenditure on the Adjudication Panel, the costs of which are included in the board's budget, is tabled as follows:
£000

	Grant to standards board including costs of adjudication panel	Expenditure on adjudication panel
2001–02	2,423	—
2002–03	6,159	—
2003–04	7,932	436
2004–05	8,940	386
2005–06	9,181	476
2006–07(39)	9,429	478

⁽³⁹⁾ Preliminary estimate.

Valuation Office Agency

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list each property data variable and type allowed within the Valuation Office Agency's automated valuation model computer system. [42924]

 
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Mr. Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member on 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 447W.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Valuation Office Agency has (a) to publish online and (b) to make publicly available (i) business property and (ii) domestic property attribute information; and if he will make a statement. [42925]

Mr. Woolas: Attribute data for the majority of business properties is currently available on the Valuation Office Agency's website at: www.voa.gov.uk, through the summary valuation scheme. The Valuation Office Agency has no plans to make attribute information publicly available for domestic property following the postponement of the council tax revaluation in England.

HEALTH

Acute Hospital Portfolio

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the results of the acute hospital portfolio 2005–06 service user satisfaction surveys; and if she will make a statement. [43299]

Jane Kennedy: The acute hospital portfolio service users satisfaction survey is part of reviews of diagnostic services and medicines management being carried out by the Healthcare Commission at acute trusts. The chairman of the Commission has confirmed that the national results of the reviews, including those from the service users satisfaction survey, will be published in the summer.
 
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Avian Influenza

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost is of inoculating everyone in the UK against the H5N1 strand of avian influenza. [43774]

Caroline Flint [holding answer 19 January 2006]: The cost of such a policy is dependent on a number of factors including some which would be commercially confidential. As such, an estimated cost cannot be provided for such a strategy.

Barts and the London NHS Trust

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when (a) she and (b) other Ministers at her Department first saw the full business case for redevelopment at the Barts and the London NHS Trust. [43427]

Jane Kennedy: Department officials have not yet concluded their review of the full business case for the Barts and the London private finance initiative scheme. When this is complete, it will be submitted to my office for approval. Therefore, I understand that neither the Secretary of State nor any other Minister has seen the full business case.

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